Pelosi takes on Eric Cantor's Remarks About the "Occupy" Protests

Nancy Pelosi Backs Occupy Wall Street Message, Tells Eric Cantor To Shove It
Zeke Miller

In an interview with ABC News' Christiane Amanpour, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said she supports the message of the Occupy Wall Street protesters that "change has to happen."

PELOSI: "Well, I support the message to the establishment — whether it's Wall Street or the political establishment and the rest — that change has to happen. We cannot continue in a way that is not relevant to their lives. I think one of the most angry responses I've seen to actions in Washington came after we passed the TARP bill. And that was the bill that pulled us back from a financial crisis — and this was during the Presidency of President Bush. The thought was that once we did that, there would be capital available and Main Street would benefit from the resources that went largely to people on Wall Street. That didn't happen and people are angry.

I think people are angry that they don't have jobs — by and large. There's nothing that makes you angrier than not being able to provide for your family or understand what your prospects are for the future. And I do think that, from what we saw after TARP, that the focus on Wall Street was one that they thought was a legitimate place to go: 'Don't do this again. Don't put Main Street at the mercy of Wall Street.' And again, not to paint everyone on Wall Street with the same brush. That would not be fair. But actions were taken that risked our economy, and that shouldn't happen again."

Read More